This I Promise You
by Unurith
Summary: A Songfic reflecting on the loved ones in Duo's life! One little phrase can mean the world to any one, "I love you just the way you are, this I promise you."


SVX: Thought I better write this down before it flew out of my head like so many other things ****

SVX: Thought I better write this down before it flew out of my head like so many other things. Oh yeah * Transforms into a lawyer outfit * I do not own these characters (except for maybe Violet) or the song "This I Promise You", they are all owned by their respective owners. * Changes back to normal * Woohoo what a rush, okay on to the story.

This I Promise You

A small boy stared with morbid fascination down the streets of the L2 colony at the thousands of bodies that riddled the alleyways. The stench was so thick there was a slight, visible, quiver, and one smell would cause one to gag in disgust. He felt his heart raising faster as he put names and personalities to the hollow shells that littered the streets. He had only been gone a few moments, he had gone to get them help, and he had the antidote. He searched frantically for survivors stopping only to inject them with a small amount of clear liquid. It hurt to watch all his friends lying there fighting for their life against an enemy none of them could even see. A small squeak brought his attention to a pale boy with dirty blond hair lying in a pile of old newspapers. The boy with the long brown hair smiled with relief as he made his way over to the boy that was obviously older than him.

"Solo, thank God you're still alive here this will make you better," said the boy as he reached into the small brown sack he had with him. His eyes widened with fear as his hand grasped nothing, it was empty, he had given the antidote all away. He let out a strangled cry of frustration as he tossed the bag to the side. Solo tried to speak but was struck by a fit of coughs that wracked his whole body. The brown hair child bit his lip hard and looked over his friend not knowing what to do. Suddenly the coughing stopped; the boy almost sighed with relief until he noticed that everything had stopped. Solo's eyes stared out at him the glassy look of death fixed in them. He had seen that look so many times in his young life and to see it now on the face of his only close friend brought pain to his heart. He lifted shaking fingers and slowly closed Solo's eyelids and leaned over gently kissing his dirty forehead before dragging himself against the far alley wall. He stared with blurred vision at his friend's body his mind reeling. "You will always be with me my friend, we'll be a duo to the end." 

__

Ooh, Ooh

When the visions around you 

Bring tears to your eyes

And all that surrounds you

Are secrets and lies

He didn't exactly know when he fell asleep but the next thing he knew he was being gently shaken awake and a soft voice filled his head. "Young one, please open your eyes my child." His sleep and pain filled violet eyes opened and he squinted as he tried to focus on the figure before him. When it cleared he was looking at an elderly man with gray hair and soft smiling blue eyes. He wore a priest's collar and garb with a plain silver cross hanging around his neck. His skin wrinkled as he smiled gently and extended a withering callused hand. "Take my hand child there is too much death here for a young child, come with me to sanctuary." The boy stared at him with a skeptical look dawning his thin features but soon lifted a tiny shaking hand to grasp the elderly one. "Tell me little one what is your name."

"My name is…is…Duo, my name is Duo."

~~*~~*~~*~~

"NO, Get away no you won't cut it," screamed the small boy as he ran into small living quarters. A young woman in a nun's garb chased after him scissors firmly gripped in her delicate hand. The boy ducked under a table and tried to calm his erratic breathing. Just as he was sure he had escaped a pair of hands wrapped around his small frame and dragged him from his hiding place. He squirmed and protested as the young nun struggled to get him into a chair.

"Please Duo it's too long it isn't sanitary for our circumstances," pleaded the nun as she wrestled the young boy into a sitting position.

"No, I will never let you cut it, lemme go!"

"What is going on in here," came an amused voice as the old priest walked into the room his face wrinkled from his smile.

"Oh Father Maxwell, Duo is refusing to let me cut his hair, but we haven't the water to keep it clean," informed the nun as she held a still struggling Duo to the chair.

"Your damn right I'm refusing you ain't cuttin my hair," screamed the boy as he struggled to escape the woman's grip.

"I'm afraid I will have to agree with Duo for once, Sister Helen see if you cannot find some other solution," said Father Maxwell as he left the room his hand waving his departure. The young nun sighed and looked at the boy with an amused annoyance.

After and hour of brushing and colorful language Sister Helen tied of the end of the boys new braid with a small string. The boy stood and examined his new hairstyle and did some fast turns watching as it followed him like a tail. He smiled looked up at the nun who smiled down at him lovingly.

__

I'll be your strength

I'll give you hope

Keeping your faith when it's gone

The one you should call 

When you're standing here on your own

~~*~~*~~*~~

"Duo stop running, wait please," yelled Sister Helen as she followed the pouting boy. He stopped where was but didn't turn to face her. She caught up to Duo and stepped in front of him kneeling so they were eye level. "Duo you put those boys in the hospital."

"They deserved it," said the boy his face still scrunched in an angry pout.

"What did they say to you?" The nun's features had softened and she placed her hands on the boy's shoulders. He looked at her nervously and lowered his gaze in shame.

"They said I smelled bad, they called me garbage boy." Before he could react the nun wrapped her arms around the boy and squeezed in a loving hug. Dumbfounded the boy began to speak, "Sister Helen?"

"You don't smell bad to me Duo, I love you just the way you are, this I promise you." Duo smiled and returned the loving hug his eyes rimmed with tears. He was home.

__

And I will take you in my arms

And hold you right were you belong

Until the day my life is through

This I promise you

This I promise you

~~*~~*~~*~~

Her voice still rang in his ears as he raised towards the struggling Taurus. His heart jumped from his chest as he watched the two mobile dolls mall the helpless suit. In that suit was a valuable cargo, Hilde. He felt his whole body go numb as he heard her screams of pain fill his cockpit. Faster he had to go faster, he wasn't going to make it. He watched as the Vayette raised it's weapon and took aim for the final blow. A scream pierced his lips as he pressed on the boosters his eyes wide with fear, "HILDE!"

~~*~~*~~*~~

She closed her eyes waiting for the final impact feeling the tears mingle with her blood. After a moment she realized she was still alive and opened her eyes. A massive suit stood between her Taurus and the two Mobile dolls. She felt her heart skip and tighten as she recognized the devil like design of the Deathscythe Hell. "Duo…"

"You alright Hilde?"

"Yah, watch out those suits have the data of Gundam pilots in them," she managed through cracked lips as she fought to keep consciences. She watched as he charged forward into the opposing suits dodging and slicing with furious speed. After awhile she feared he would fail, they were just too quick. "Duo, please…" She blinked, flashes of light filled her screen, explosions, he did it. She felt a smile cross her face as his worry filled face appeared on the screen. 

"Hilde?"

"Duo, you did it."

"What the Hell were you thinking, you could have been killed!" She felt herself chuckle even though it caused pain to rip through her tattered body. She reached into her coat pocket wrapping her blood-slicked fingers around the disk. She pulled it in front of her giving him a clear view of the blood smudged on its clear surface.

"I got you this data on Libra, I wanted to help," she answered as she watched his face twist in anger and fear.

"You're a damn fool," he screamed at her tears forming in the sides of his eyes. She laughed again instantly regretting it as pain caused her to wince.

"I thought you might say something like that," that was her last sentence before she slipped into a peaceful darkness.

~~*~~*~~*~~

"Hilde, Hilde, HILDE?" He felt fear grip his heart. No, he wouldn't lose her now, not after everything they had gone through. He grabbed her suit and launched his Gundam towards Peacemillion. He wasn't going to lose her; he wouldn't let anything hurt her, not now, not ever. 

__

I've loved you forever

In the life times before

And I promise you never

Will you hurt anymore

I give you my word
    
    ~~*~~*~~*~~

The steady beat of the machines kept the earth shattering silence at bay as he sat and kept a steady vigil by Hilde's bedside. Her pale features were covered with cuts and bruises and several bandages were wrapped around her. He had sat there for the past four days refusing to leave her side in fear she would wake up to someone else, or alone. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to her while he was gone; he would never let her leave this world alone. He began to rub small circles with his thumb on her hand as he sat watching her. He found himself constantly praying to the God that he didn't believe in, but Sister Helen had insisted existed. He didn't want to lose Hilde; he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Be with her during the ups and downs, it was a feeling that scared the shit out of him. As he was lost in his thoughts he didn't notice when her eyelids began to flutter open. A soft moan brought him out of his stupor and brought his attention to the pixie in the bed next to him.

" Hilde, your awake," he felt his voice quiver and tear rim his violet eyes. Her crystal blue eyes stared at him before focusing and her lips twitched into a smile. "We won babe, because of you we won." She smiled and wrapped a frail hand around his and gave a slight squeeze. He moved his chair closer and rested his forehead to hers his features turning serious. "I never wanna lose ya babe, don't ever scare me like that again." He felt hot tears falling from his eyes but found himself not caring. "I love you Hilde, I don't know what I would do if I lost you," he said closing his eyes trying to block away the thoughts of a life without her. He felt a petal soft hand cup his cheek and he opened his tear stained eye to meet hers. Her blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears as her thumb stroked the side of his face.

"I love you too," it was so soft, he would have missed it if he hadn't given her his complete attention. He watched as her eyes closed and crystal tears cascaded down her cheeks before feeling her lips brush his. He closed his eyes and pressed his lips to hers bringing his hand to her face. This was the beginning of their future together; they had the rest of their lives.

__

I give you my heart

This is a battle we've won

And with this vow 

Forever has now begun
    
    Duo looked over the orders in his hands feeling like his head would explode at any moment. He leaned his head into his hands rubbing his temples trying to get his head to stop pounding. A pair of hands covered his and began to rub his temples along with him. "Long day?"
    "Yah you might say that." The hands slid from his and began to slowly massage his tight shoulders. He closed his eyes forgetting about his headache and turned his chair around to face his companion. Her blue eyes sparkled as he pressed his lips to her hand and rested his head on her bulging abdomen. He could feel the soft kicking underneath the surface and he closed his eyes. He smiled as nimble fingers ran through his hair in a familiar fashion. It reminded him of how Sister Helen used to play with his hair before braiding it. "Mmmm come here," he pulled Hilde down into his lap trailing small kiss up her neck before nibbling on her ear. She giggled and rested her arms on his which were wrapped around her.
    "I love you, you know that right?"
    "Of course I do," he said chuckling at her question. She smiled then looked at her protruding stomach and frowned.
    "I like terrible," she said dreading how long it would take her to loose the weight. She felt his hand on her chin and looked deep into his violet eyes.
    "Hey, I love you just the way you are, this I promise you."

__

Just close your eyes

Each loving day

And know this feeling won't go away

Until the day my life is through

This I promise you

This I promise you
    
    ~~*~~*~~*~~
    Blood, how could one person have so much blood. He cradled her head in his tiny lap moving her bloody, matted, blonde hair out of her face. Her light blue eyes were glazed with pain stared up at the gray steel sky of the colony. Her cracked and bloody lips moved and small sounds escaped her mouth as she moved her gaze to look at him. "Duo…Thank God you're safe!" Tears spilled from his eyes and dripped down his cheeks mixing with the blood and dirt that stained the ground. His breathing became erratic with fear as he glanced over at the body of Father Maxwell. He lay under a giant slab of the church wall, blood, blood, blood. He closed his eyes shut and began to rock back and forth suddenly feeling cold. Blood, blood, blood, so much of it. A gurgled gasp caused him to look down at Sister Helen as she moved her hand to his face. "May God protect you my little Duo, May God Pro…" her hand fell to the ground and her eyes glazed over. The look of death, how many times had he seen it, death, he looked at him through her. He pulled back from her body and her head limply fell to the ground with a sickening thud. His stomach turned and he began to empty the contents of his stomach onto the ground. Blood, blood, death, gone, Sister, Father, blood, gone, death, run, run, run. His mind was a blur and all he could do was lift his body from the ground and pump his legs as fast as they could go. Dead, blood, gone, Duo, Duo, Duo…

"Duo, honey wake up please," pleaded Hilde as she shook her husband. He bolted upright with a scream and his eyes were glazed with fear and unshed tears. Soon he focused and turned to face Hilde his breaths ragged and shaky. 

"Hilde?" She wrapped her arms around him and he began to cry into her chest his tears soaking her lavender nightgown. She began to stroke his hair and softly coo reassurances as she rocked him back and forth. 

"It's okay Duo, I'm here, I love you, I'm here, it's okay."

__

Over and over I fall

When I hear you call

With out you in my life baby

I just wouldn't be living at all
    
    ~~*~~*~~*~~
    Duo thought his heart would burst as he stared at his wife who was now cradling their newborn daughter in her arms. The baby was born on a Thursday after a grueling ten hours in labor. Duo looked at his bandaged finger and laughed to himself, Hilde had broken it during those ten hours. He walked over to his wife and their sleeping daughter and lovingly placed his hand on the baby's soft head. Hilde looked up at him and smiled shifting the baby in her arms. "Here why don't you hold her," said Hilde piling the baby and all her blankets in his arms.
    "She's so beautiful," he whispered as the tiny baby snuggled into the warmth of his chest. He felt his eyes water and his heart burst with pride. "My beautiful daughter." Hilde smiled and wrapped her arms around her husband's waist and rested her head by his stomach. Duo smiled as his daughter opened her wide violet eyes and smiled shaking her tiny fist at him with a small squeal. "Heh, Violet Helen Maxwell, I love you just the way you are, this I promise you." 

__

And I will take you in my arms

And hold you right where you belong

Until the day my life is through

This I promise you

This I promise you

**SVX: Ahhh don't you just love the smell of Sap in the morning heh, well my friend is back so I should have my story disks by this weekend! Well hope you liked it! This is dedicated to All my friends! Amber, Tyler, Kristin, Nick, Jenelle, Kim, Catherine, and Ben, I love you all! R&R!**

__


End file.
